Sweet Misery
by Esmara
Summary: A year has passed since the final battle between Optimus Prime and Megatron, and life has returned to some sort of normal - but one spark has yet to be put to rest. Prowl's spark is trapped on Earth, and a new face has arrived to help him. ProwlxO.C COMPLETE No more chapters for now, I'm stuck. Sorry.
1. Chapter 1: Alone at Night

Chapter 1: Alone at Night

_Okay, I'm a bit iffy about this one. This OC has been running around in my head for years now, but I'm terrified of Mary-Sueifying the poor thing, so I had to eliminate some of the original elements. So if I'm slow on this one, it's because I'm gradually reworking the story. Thanks for reading and wish me luck!_

* * *

A lone figure walked onto on the roof of the apartment building, brown trench-coat flapping around the ankles of rubber boots. The eyes and hair were hidden by a sleek white helmet with a dark visor, the skin on the hands concealed by fitted blue gloves that climbed up both arms, beneath the coat and all the way to the shoulders. Nobody saw the figure – the city of Detroit slept in the peace of night, and all was still.

The figure walked to the middle of the building, and lifted the piece of blue glass from the cement below. It was large, and shaped like sunglasses – two triangles joined at the smallest corners. The gloved hand tilted the glass, watching the moonlight reflect off of its scratched surface.

It was too big to be human sunglasses. The face required to wear these would have been larger, or certainly wider. The figure stood, and transferred the glass to the left hand, before putting it in the coat pocket. Then, the figure pinched the wrist of the right glove, and pulled on it until it was empty, and the cold metal of the mechanical arm, glowing with energy from the Allspark fragment, was exposed to the cold night. Depositing the glove in the right pocket with the now bare arm, the figure removed the glass from the coat pocket with the gloved hand and, after a moment of hesitation, transferred it to the right.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the energy surged from the figure's metal fingertips, and the glass lit up, radiating energy. A voice – a voice inside the figure's head, shared through thought – spoke.

_What- is this the Well of Allsparks?_

_No, _the figure thought back to Prowl, _it's Detroit._


	2. Chapter 2: Some Semblance of Normalcy

Chapter 2: Some Semblance of Normalcy

_Detroit has recovered from the final battle surprisingly well_, Optimus mused as he watched Bumblebee and Sari set an iron bar into place. _It's certainly nice to see everybody working together. _

Fixing bridges seemed to be some sort of cosmic joke for the Earth team – over two years had passed since they'd arrived on this planet, and yet it seemed that no matter how much changed, they always came back to what they were initially meant to do.

"Hey, watch it!" Bumblebee dodged a pole that almost knocked his head off, courtesy of Bulkhead.

"Sorry, buddy," Bulkhead responded, and removed the pole from his shoulder before setting it in place. On the other side of the damaged bridge, Jazz and Ratchet were helping to mix cement.

Well, they were trying. Wreck-Gar had arrived, and had deposited one of the cement bags in his… pack. Ratchet was demanding for the confused Autobot to give it back, and had so far been offered a rag, a dag(ger), a piece of slag (had to have come from the mine) and a mag(azine). _That could take a while, _Optimus thought to himself. He glanced over at the lake, and saw that the sky was beginning to turn purple.

"It's about time to head back,"Optimus said, and everybody began to clean up for the day. It was when the last bar was put away that Sari's cellphone rang.

"Hello?" Sari asked, landing next to Bumblebee's foot. "Dad? …Yeah, I'm fine… What… who is… really? No way! Okay, I'll be right home!" She hung up. "Guys, my teacher's back!"

"But I thought Tutorbot had been donated to the local kindergarten?" Bumblebee asked.

"No, no, my – before I had Tutorbot, I had a regular tutor, but she had to go back home to take care of her sisters. Dad just told me that she's moved to Detroit! I'm so excited!" And, without another word, Sari turned around and flew home, leaving the Autobots to register what just happened.

_Why, _Optimus Prime thought to himself as they transformed and went after her, _do I have a bad feeling about this?_


	3. Chapter 3: She Who Sings No More

Chapter 3: She Who Sings No More

Sari hesitated. The figure standing across her said nothing, but looked at her from behind the dark visor. The woman's expression – Sari was guessing from how the coat hung off her body that it was a woman – was unreadable, and Sari wasn't sure whether or not she was anybody she had seen around town. Then, as if deciding that Sari was trustworthy, the woman removed the helmet, and smiled at Sari. Sari gasped as the brown bangs fell into place around her childhood friend's spring-green eyes, and the thick braid tumbled down to the top of her ankles.

"Tyra!" Sari dashed forward, and hugged her old tutor, who happily hugged her back. "Tyra, it's so good to see you again!" When she received no answer, Sari looked up at Tyra, who was still smiling. "Well, aren't you going to say something?"

"Ah, there you are, Sari." Sari looked to her father, who had stepped out of the elevator. "I see you have already found Miss Wheels, but there is something I need to tell you…"

"So, this is your babysitter?" Sari and Tyra, who had released the teenager, looked up at Bumblebee, who was smirking.

"Babysi- no, she's my tutor! Tyra, this is my best friend Bumblebee!" Tyra smiled after a moment, and held out her right hand to Bumblebee, who shook it.

"Tutor, huh? Well, if Sari likes you, I guess you can't be all bad…" He looked at Tyra, who said nothing. He turned to Sari. "Why isn't she saying anything?"

"That is what I was trying to tell you," Professor Sumdac cut in. "Miss Wheels sent me an e-mail before she arrived. It said that she has taken an oath of silence for the past three years… something about a "Tom"?"

"Tom… isn't that your fiancé?" Sari looked at Tyra, who held up her left hand. Sari stared. "What are you…" Then she realized that Tyra wasn't wearing her engagement ring. "… You broke up?"

Tyra shrugged in a way that seemed to say _That's one way of putting it._

"Well," Isaac continued, "Boy troubles aside, it is good to see you again, Miss Wheels. I trust you have been well?" Tyra nodded.

"Oh, I need to introduce you to the others!" Sari grabbed Tyra's hand, and flew outside, dragging the woman behind her. "You're gonna love them, I just know it!"


	4. Chapter 4: Small Town Girl City Robot

Chapter 4: Small Town Girl, City Robot

_Well, _Tyra thought as she walked back to her apartment complex, _that was interesting. Not exactly what I meant when I said she should try to find friends… but it was good to see how happy she was. But I'm gonna have to ask Professor Sumdac why she was flying…_

Tyra walked past the elevators and made a beeline for the stairs. She scaled the metal steps all the way to the sixth floor, before walking down the hallway and finding her door – the one at the very end of the hallway. She unlocked the door, and walked in, turning off the alarm and locking the door behind her.

The coat and helmet were quickly put in place – wood coat rack – and Tyra walked to her room, stopping at the entrance to pull off her boots before entering and sitting on the mattress. She reached over to the small drawer on the side of her bed, and lifted Prowl's visor from the top drawer, where it had been resting on a makeshift pillow – the one she'd gotten for free on the plane she'd taken to Detroit.

_It would appear, _the voice began as it became aware of being held, _that I am trapped._

_ Sure looks that way, don't it? _Tyra responded.

_ This does not make sense… _Tyra could almost see him mentally shaking his head. _I should be offline._

_ But you aren't._

_ No, I'm not. And that is what I do not understand. _Images flashed in Tyra's head – a glowing orb of blue energy, Jazz's face, then blackness. _I used my spark to complete it… How am I still on Earth?_

_ I'd tell ya if I could, but as it is, I'm just wondering how a pair of sunglasses is talking to me._

_ You had… an Allspark fragment in your hand. When it touched the visor-_

_ Allspark frgment? … Wait, is _that _what the blue crystal was?_

_ Blue crystal?_

_ Almost two years ago, I saw a blue crystal land near the school building. There were a few others, but they went further away – you know, how about I just show you? _Tyra closed her eyes, and the memories flooded into Prowl's mind the same way his last moments had flashed before Tyra's: _A cool summer night walking down a dirt road, a streak of blue across the otherwise black sky, a small crash as it landed. Then, running towards the crash. Prowl imagined she had kneeled as she took a closer look, and, with her right, prosthetic arm, she reached out and brushed a metal fingertip over it._

_ There was a bright flash of blue as the fragment grasped onto her hand, energy coursing up and down her arm as it changed, the metal turning a light blue, the rigid joints becoming fluid and natural. Several terrifying seconds passed as foreign power took over, and Tyra could only stare at the spot where the crystal had been when it stopped._

_ She looked at her hand, slowly turning it over to look at its shine in the moonlight. She cautiously tested her fingers, and found they cooperated as a natural hand, her old hand, would have. Tyra slowly stood up, staring for another moment, before running the rest of the way home._

The images ended, and Prowl found himself in darkness again, able to sense only the gloved fingertips grasping the edge of his visor – the only thing left of him.

_…Yes, _he finally thought after a moment, _that was an Allspark fragment. I'm surprised that one escaped our detection… or the Decepticons', for that matter._

_ Weren't you explaining how I'm talking to you?_

_ Right. The Allspark fragment in your hand must have given me enough energy to escape the dormant state I was in… I can't remember anything beyond pulling Prime out of the force field… do you know how long I have been offline?_

_ I don't even know your name._

_ My apologies. My name is Prowl._

_ Prowl? That's an interesting name. I'm Tyra._


	5. Chapter 5: Every Day is a Winding

Chapter 5: Every Day is a Winding… Highway, Apparently

_How did you do that?_

_ No clue. _Tyra was never one to question a good thing – getting the feeling back in her right arm because of a magic crystal was a good thing, and so was managing to morph the visor – Prowl – to fit into the place where her helmet's eye guard had been a good thing. _Can you see?_

_ Partially. I can detect light and dark now, but everything is still out of focus._

_ Then I guess it's a good thing I'm driving. _Tyra mounted her blue scooter, and glided out of the parking lot. _How'm I supposed to explain this to Sari and the others, anyway? They already gave me weird looks when I asked if they had any other members on their team._

_ I've been wondering, myself. For now, I think I should focus on what has happened since my "death" and determine the course of action from there. I do know that I need to get out of this visor._

Tyra turned a corner, and drove onto the highway. _Do you want to live?_

_ What?_ Tyra wished there had been some inflection, some hint of curiosity or exasperation to the question. She got none – she had discovered during their first conversation that neither one of them could hear a voice so much as hear simple words, like a computer program was reading them off of a file. So, she had no idea what the _what _meant.

_ Do you want to live? You've been "dead" for over a year, from what I was told._

_ …I don't know. I'd rather not think about it right now._

Prowl fell silent, and Tyra redirected the rest of her attention to the road. The cement beneath her wheels gave much less resistance than the dirt roads back in the country, and she found the ride much smoother. It was both welcome and foreign, like stepping into icy water on a scalding summer day.

Today, Tyra did not have work. She had managed to get a job at Sumdac Systems sorting papers for Professor Sumdac – being a family friend had its perks. However, the professor had given her the day to explore her new city, and that was exactly what she intended to do.


	6. Interlude 1: Meditations

Interlude: Meditations on Life

_Do you want to live?_

The question had hit him like a wrecking ball. Did he want to live? It was… an odd thing to ask, and the more he mulled it over, the more complicated it became.

Did _he _want to live? Prowl had given up his life – or he'd expected to – to save the city. Did _he_ want to see the benefits of his supposed sacrifice? Certainly he was glad to know it had worked – Earth was saved, as was his team.

Did he _want _to live? The question changed when he emphasized the "wanting" aspect – what if he did "want" to live? Didn't all humans cling to life? Even the bravest Autobot had the basic programming that told them that they wanted to survive – it was as basic as the need to protect life. To want to live… it was part of living.

Did he want to _live? _The question was different again – how could he possibly live after this? He had expected the end, and spent a year in a dormant state he'd assumed was death – what could he do if there was any way to come back? Would he return to his old life, retire his upgrades if his body was even intact? How would he explain his sudden rejuvenation to his team? Or, alternatively, would he remain as a spark, trapped on the visor of a woman he barely knew?

_Do you want to live?_

Prowl found that he had no clue how to answer that.


	7. Chapter 6: I'd Rather Be in Texas

Chapter 6: I'd Rather Be in Texas (or Kansas. or Anywhere but Here!)

_Ugh!_ _So many buildings! I forgot that this city had so many buildings! _Tyra sighed, and turned another corner. Everywhere she looked, she saw only steel, brick, and cement – she was lucky if she could find some stray grass sticking up between cracks in the sidewalk. _My kingdom for a park!_

Prowl had fallen silent, and she didn't want to disturb him, so Tyra continued hunting for a place with some green in it in mental silence, save the occasional note or observation about places she'd need to remember for later. As it was, she continued without success, until finally finding the Detroit Park… only to find that it was crammed with kids celebrating a birthday party, and other civilians blasting music.

_Not quite what I was hoping for, _Tyra thought as she sighed with disappointment, and drove on. Morning turned to noon, and Tyra found herself angrily biting into a forkful of salad at the nearest restaurant she found. _This is not working._

_ What are you looking for?_

Tyra almost jumped when Prow spoke up inside her mind. _Ah! I almost forgot you were there, you were so quiet._

_ Sorry to startle you. What are you looking for?_

_ …I don't know, someplace quiet._

_ Why?_

_Well… back home, I liked to sit under a tree near the house and read when my sisters were at school or out with their boyfriends. I was hoping to find a quiet spot like that here, but so far… nothing._

_Hm… _Prowl seemed to be deciding whether or not he should tell her something, perhaps some little-known park around Detroit that would be perfect. But… that was ridiculous. Robots didn't go to parks, right?

_Yes? _Tyra found herself asking. Anything, ANYTHING besides staying inside would have been welcome at this point.

_I do know one place, if you're up to a long drive…_


	8. Chapter 7: Something to Dream to

Chapter 7: Something to Dream To

_Oh, wow…_

It was a pity that Prowl couldn't tell what her voice actually sounded like – that would have been much more satisfying to hear if it had been spoken. Tyra stood on the edge of the forest for several seconds, gazing at the trees as light filtered through new leaves, tinting everything with a soft yellow-green that was warm and welcoming.

What Prowl did appreciate was that he could see it – by now, the world around him had come into color and focus, but he could only see what Tyra was facing. It was nice, then, that she was admiring the trees – he had almost forgotten how beautiful the forest was.

_My goodness…this is gorgeous… I've never seen anything like this. _Tyra took a step into the woods, the leaf-coated soil giving a satisfying _crunch _as she set her foot down on the unpaved terrain.

_ Are there no trees where you come from? _

_None like this… just a couple of old oaks scattered around the neighborhood. _Tyra walked further in, cautiously moving through the woods as if she feared they might disappear with a single wrong step. _I knew there was a wildlife area near the old mines, but I had no idea it was this big. _She continued moving further and further in, until she found a rocky clearing. Prowl recognized it immediately, despite the lack of snow – this was where he, Bumblebee, and Sari had once gone "camping".

Tyra finally stopped near the edge of the mountain, a few feet from the clearing. For a moment, she just stood there, and Prowl found himself wondering what she was looking at. After the moment passed, Tyra sat down, legs crossed, and rested her head on her hands as she gazed – this was guess on Prowl's part – at the mountain pass in silence.

It was startling, how much he had almost forgotten during dormancy. The sound of birds, the slight breeze, the way the mountains seemed to grasp at the sky as clouds drifted in the afternoon air… it was all beautiful in its mere existence, in its refusal to be contained.

_You okay in there, Prowl? _Prowl was snapped out of his meditation by Tyra's mental voice. _You aren't saying much._

_ I was meditating, _Prowl thought back.

_Ah, got it. Sorry to disturb you. _

_No trouble._

_Glad to hear it. _Tyra was silent again, but he could catch whispers of her internalized thoughts – contentment, peace. He returned his attention to meditating, concentrating on the world around him – what his limited view could grasp, at the very least.

_ It's getting late, _Tyra thought, and Prowl saw that the sky had turned orange and purple, and from what he could detect, the air had cooled considerably. _I should head back to the city before it gets dark, or I won't be able to see a thing. _She started to stand.

_ What about the street lights? _Tyra stopped short.

_…That's right, I'm not back home anymore. I completely forgot. _She shook her head. _But still, I'd rather be able to see where I am once I start getting lost. _She turned from the mountains, and walked back towards where she'd parked her scooter. _Besides, it's harder to see any wild animals on the road at night._

_ …_

_ Right, city, forgot. Hoo boy, this'll take some getting used to._


	9. Chapter 8: I Can't Get No Relaxation

Chapter 8: (I Can't Get No) Relaxation

_For a machine-based company, this place uses a truckload of paper, _Tyra thought as she filed the third pile of bills and recommendations that had been dumped on top of her. _On another note, have you figured out how to explain your… situation to your teammates?_

_ Not yet, no, but I do think we need to speak to Prime first. Why?_

_ It's… rather awkward when one of your teammates – who, by the way, I used to practically raise - is right here. _Tyra glanced at Sari behind her visor as the teenager went on and on about...

"…So have you started dating again or what?" Tyra froze in place, staring at the teenager. After the initial shock wore off, Tyra shook her head.

_Where did this come from? She was talking about video games a minute ago!_

_ "Dating?"_

"Why not?" Tyra didn't have time to stop Sari from pulling her helmet off, causing her 5.5 feet of hair to tumble around her in loose waves – this was why Tyra preferred to braid her hair. "You're pretty, aren't you?" Tyra rolled her eyes. "Look at you! Tall, healthy, big green eyes – _really _big eyes – nice hair…" Sari frowned when Tyra looked away, dismissing Sari's argument with a wave of the hand. "Stop that! This isn't about that Tom idiot, is it?"

Prowl could see Tyra now, and watched her eyes snap open. A thousand different emotions flashed across her eyes before settling on sadness, and she bit her lip, looking at the floor before shaking her head. She squeezed her eyes shut.

He couldn't see her, but Prowl could imagine Sari's face as she spoke. "Tyra? …I'm sorry, I didn't think…" He imagined she was shaking her head. "What happened to you? Three years ago you were one of the happiest people I'd ever met."

Tyra tried to smile, but there was something in her face – in her eyes – that betrayed her and ruined any false sincerity it might have had. She gave another shake of the head, as if to say _It's nothing, don't worry about me._

Sari handed Tyra the helmet, and Tyra put it back on without a word being exchanged.

_What was that?_

_ If you don't mind, Prowl, I'd really rather not talk about it. _Prowl saw Tyra's right hand twitch subconsciously, but allowed her to leave it at that. The silence hung in the air like a stale fog as Tyra resumed working.


	10. Chapter 9: Behind These Lonely Eyes

Chapter 9: Behind These Lonely Eyes

Tyra took off her helmet as Prowl entered dormancy, and set it on the table as she shook her head. _Tom… _Even now, that name hurt her. It hurt to hear it, hurt to think about… _it's been three years since you left me. Why can't I get over this?_

She walked into her room, pulling off her coat and throwing it onto the chair in front of her desk. Still wearing her boots, she swung open the closet door and stared at her reflection at the full-length mirror that hung from it. _What happened to you, Tyra? You used to be beautiful._

The face was still the same – the broken smile, the lifeless green eyes, the slightest crease in her brow. Tyra's hair hung around her face and body in combed waves, but they lacked the warm sheen they'd had three years before – warm chocolate was replaced with dull mud. Her blue tank top, despite its elaborate patterns stitched in darker blue thread, did little to brighten up the sad sight of a broken woman. The matching gloves didn't help, and taking them off would only remind her why he left in the first place.

_Freak… cyborg… _The words came rushing back, and Tyra turned away from her reflection before tears could collect in her eyes, biting down on her lip. _How does anybody lose an arm, anyway? _She shook her head.

_I'm still me, Tom! I'm still Tyra!_

_ Shut up! I can't marry a machine! I need a real woman!_

_ I'm not a machine! Tom, don't hang up the phone-_

_ *click*_

Tyra shook her head again, unable to stop the tears from flowing. _First you left me… and then you drove everyone else away… _she walked to the window, and looked out to the city. _And now here I am, all because you couldn't accept that I had to change to keep going. _She looked at her glove, which she knew hid cold, inhuman metal. _I did this for you, Tom, so you wouldn't have marry a girl with one arm. I would have done anything for you._

_ I know you were an idiot, so why am I crying?_


	11. Interlude 2: Prowl's Progress

Interlude 2: Prowl 's Progress

Prowl had made use of his time in dormancy through meditation. As a matter of fact, meditation was one of the only things he seemed able to do.

Processor-over-matter technique did not work. This barely surprised Prowl, frustrating as it was – in this limited form, he barely had enough power to concentrate on _seeing, _so attempting to manipulate the world around him did not seem like a safe idea.

It was almost relaxing, lacking a body. With his processer concentrated in a small area and without the need to be constantly aware of an entire body's functioning, he could dedicate his energy to observing and contemplating.

_Do you want to live? _That question had haunted him for a week now, and still, Prowl had no answer. It was a question that became more and more difficult to answer as he turned it over and over in his mind, and as the justifications for both answers grew, so did his confusion. Prow found himself avoiding it, instead focusing on the outside world – even that beyond his vision. Prowl could detect certain things – comlink frequencies, electricity, movement – again.

Another thing he was detecting again was energy signatures. He was aware when an Autobot was in the area, even before they spoke – it was good to have that skill back. But there was one signature that made him think he had a glitch – or extraordinarily bad luck.

Blitzwing, he detected, was back on Earth.


	12. Chapter 10: Keep Holding On

Chapter 10: Keep Holding On (For Dear Life)

_She's tailing me. She's tailing me. She's tailing me._

_ Yes, we know that Sari is following you around the city._

_ Look, I'm sorry, but there is something about being followed by a teenager across the highway and around Detroit on a jet pack that is just downright unsettling. It's not exactly something you see in your rearview mirror every day._

_ …Says the one telepathically talking to her visor._

_ Says the visor._ Tyra continued driving down the highway in the usual silence – one would never have guessed that she was having an extensive conversation with an Autobot.

_I'd tell you to be silent, but considering that you are thinking I don't think that is possible._

_Are you always like this, or am I just lucky?_

_You're just lucky._

_Am I supposed to be flattered?_

_You're supposed to be focusing on the road. _

_I'd call you a backseat driver, but seeing as how you can't drive much of anything besides your mental banter, I'll pass._

_Is everyone where you're from like this?_

_You're just lucky._Sari followed a few feet behind the scooter, the biggest grin on her face behind her visor – she seemed to enjoy tailing Tyra, blissfully unaware that one of her old friends was very, very nearby.

_Wait._

_What's wrong?_

_Something's watching us. _Tyra had gotten off of the highway, and was driving toward the docks.

_What do you mean, something's watching- _BOOM!

Tyra swerved just in time to dodge the blast of ice aimed at her, and hit the breaks on her scooter. She looked in the direction the blast came from, and saw a large, much more menacing robot standing on one of the roofs and looking right at her.

_That's what I mean._

_What is that?_

_They're called Decepticons. _The Decepticon pointed at Tyra, his blue face panels switching to red.

"Hand over se Allspark fragment, jou puny human, or I vill pound jou!"

"Allspark fragment?" Sari looked at Tyra. "What is he talking about?"

Tyra looked at her arm, and pulled off the glove. _Aw, no._


	13. Chapter 11: What is Thi Feeling

Chapter 11: What is this Feeling (Panicking)

The seams of metal in Tyra's arm pulsed with blue energy, and Tyra felt power begin to collect around her open palm. _What in tarnation is this? It's never done anything like this before!_

_ I think it senses that Blitzwing is after it, _Prowl responded.

"Tyra…" Sari whispered in disbelief, staring at the glowing hand. "Why didn't you say anything about this?" Tyra shot her a look. "…Right."

Blitzwing shot at her again, and Tyra quickly got the scooter moving again, speeding out of the way of the blast before stopping to glare at the mech. _Doesn't even give me a warning first? How rude. _She quickly went back to driving when the other shoulder gun activated, and he began firing twin blasts at her. She could vaguely hear Sari saying something into her… communication device to who she guessed was Prime.

"Come back here!" Blitzwing shot a blast of ice in front of Tyra's scooter, blocking her back. She turned the other way, only to be cut off again, until she was encircled in ice.

_Alright… _Tyra thought, turning off her scooter and stepping off, eying the wall of ice. She took off her jacket, folding it and setting it in the handle. _Let's see if I can still do this. _

Before Prowl could ask her what "this" was, she dashed forward, and leapt toward the wall, bracing her hands on the edge and flipping herself over the side, landing in a kneeling position a few feet away.

_You know Circuit-Su?_

_ Where I come from we call it martial arts, but sure. I'm a bit rusty... I should have landed on my feet back there. I need practice. Time for me to hit the dojo again. _Tyra stood up, dusting her knees off before looking at Blitzwing. _This nutcase will destroy the whole city if I try running, won't he? I'll keep him busy until the Autbots get here._

_ Are you crazy?_

_ It's a good possibility. Let's get down to business. _Tyra looked up at Blitzwing, and held up her metal hand, making the "come and get me" gesture with four fingers. Blitzwing smirked, and transformed into a jet, landing in from of her. _…Yup, I'm crazy._

"I vill pound jou into paste!" The faceplates suddenly switched to black and red, throwing his head back and laughing. "Ahahah! And zhen ve can make popsicle stick houses!" His face switched to blue again. "Vhat? No screams of terror?" Tyra responded by removing her helmet and using her mechanical arm to fling it at his head.

CLANG!

…_I… could have been smarter about that. _

_Yes, you could have. Ow._

_Oh, shoot! Sorry, Prowl! _Tyra took a step back as the faceplates switched to red again, and Blitzwing shot lasers at her again. Tyra dove to the ground, tumbling away from the blasts before stopping herself in a crouching position, holding herself up with one hand while he tried to collect more energy in the other. She felt electricity swell in her palm, and Tyra flung the ball of energy at Blitzwing.

"Ahahah! Zhat tickles!" Random Blitzwing laughed as the energy hit him and was absorbed into his stomach, sending small bursts of electricity through his internal circuitry. Tyra's expression turned to one of disappointment.

…_Hoo boy. _

_ Agreed._

Blitzwing quickly stopped laughing, smirking at Tyra with blue faceplates. "It vould seem zhat your Allspark fragment is not as effective as jou hoped. Zhat can be remedied… as soon as I remove it from jour body." He shot at Tyra again.

Tyra jumped, and managed to avoid the dodge… for the most part. As she got on her feet, her braid smacked against her back, and Tyra realized that it was frozen solid. _No way in heck am I blow-drying all of that, _she thought as she looked at the frozen hair.

"Tyra, look out!" Tyra turned, and saw a fire truck driving toward them, followed by the rest of the team. _It's about time you got here! _As soon as she saw that Blitzwing was distracted, she dashed forward and lifted her helmet from the ground.

The visor was unharmed. _Dang, Prowl! You're made of some tough stuff!_ She thought as she put the helmet back on.

_I'd rather not test it. _Optimus drove over to Tyra, and she climbed into the passenger seat. "Tyra, we need to get you out of… is your arm glowing?"

"Optimus, she has an Allspark fragment!" Sari called from the air, where she had been trying to get a good shot at Blitzwing as he'd attacked Tyra. Optimus dashed as another blast shot in Tyra's direction.

Tyra looked at Blitzwing just in time to see him take a green wrecking ball to the stomach. "Nice shot, Bulkhead!" Optimus called as Blitzwing stumbled backward. Tyra tried to follow Bulkhead. "Tyra, it's too dangerous!"

_Prime is right._

_I have to try. _Tyra opened the door, and ran back over to the thick of where the Autobots had begun attacking Blitzwing, driving him back.

Blitzwing saw Tyra immediately, and quickly switched to blue and aiming a blast of ice in her direction. Tyra turned right, jumping back into the icy wall her scooter was trapped in.

_What are you doing?_

_Setting a trap. _Tyra stopped, and turned to face Blitzwing. As he turned to look at her, Tyra reached into a pocket on her belt, and smiled as her hand closed around a metal cylinder about an inch in diameter. _Hello, my old friend. _She pulled the tube out, and pressed a button on the edge.

The metal staff quickly extended to about five feet in length, and the white metal gleamed in the sun as she twirled it above her head.

_No more Little Miss Sunshine._


	14. Chapter 12: Truly Madly Deeply

Chapter 12: Truly Madly Deeply (In Trouble)

Blitzwing quickly blasted Jazz and Bumblebee to the side, before walking toward where Tyra waited, staff in hand.

_What are you planning? That staff can't put a dent in his armor plating._

_Just trust me, 'kay? _Tyra shifted, preparing for a jump, and when Blitzwing's servo descended onto her, she leaped, using the staff as a pole vault to launch herself onto the back of his wrist. She quickly regained her footing, and dashed up the Decepticon's arm as Bulkhead an Optimus attacked him with wrecking balls and swipes of the axe. Blitzwing kept shooting them, trying to shake Tyra off as she scaled his upper arm, grabbing onto his shoulder and using the staff to push herself up.

_Almost there… _Brandishing her staff with her mechanical hand, Tyra focused her energy into it, feeling the power charge up and crackle within the staff.

"Vhat do jou think jou are doing?" Blitzwing demanded as he stumbled back from the Autobots' combined blows, unable to see where Tyra was. The rest of the team continued to attack him, Bumblebee hitting his legs as Jazz made repeated strikes against his knees and stomach while Ratchet used his magnetic devices to hold him still. "Get off of- AAGH!" Blitzwing screamed as Tyra drove the energized staff into a seam in his shoulder, sending powerful shocks of energy into him. "Zhat doesn't tickle!"

Tyra pulled the staff out of him as he stumbled backwards, running to the edge of his shoulder and jumping off. Jazz quickly caught her, and Tyra nodded a thanks.

"Smooth work, Tyra." Jazz smiled at her, before they looked at where Blitzwing had fallen. He struggled to stand up, and glared at Tyra.

"Zhis… isn't over," he growled, before transforming into a jet again and flying off, leaving the Autobots in a cloud of smoke. Everyone looked at Tyra.

_Hoo boy. Looks like I've got some explaining to do._

"You have some explaining to do," Optimus said as he walked over, "starting with why you never told us you had an Allspark fragment."

Tyra glared, pointing at her mouth. _Why do you think?_


	15. Chapter 13: In My Head

Chapter 13: In My Head (This Would Be So Much Easier)

Tyra watched calmly as Ratchet ran a scanner over her arm. "How you managed to get yourself this deep in trouble without even trying, kid, I'll never know," he grumbled as he shook his head. "Of all the humans to find an Allspark fragment, it had to be the one with the mechanical arm. What're the odds?"

Ratchet continued to scan her, evaluating each result with a displeased expression. Tyra's coat and helmet sat nearby on one of the tables in the Autobot base, and Tyra found herself occasionally glancing at her helmet.

_How do I tell them?_

_ Wait, for now. Try to talk to Optimus alone._

_ Prowl, hon, I think you're forgetting something._

_ Like what?_

_ I don't talk!_

"Look at me, kid," Ratchet instructed, and Tyra turned to him. "I got some good news and some bad news. Which do you wanna hear first?"

Tyra stared.

"…Right. The good news is that your arm isn't suffering any malfunctions from that charge-up trick you used earlier." Tyra nodded. "The bad news is that there's no way you're going to be safe in that apartment on the other side of the city as long as Blitzwing's around, so you're gonna have to have a chat with Prime."

_Great, so I'll have to move. Again._

Tyra nodded, and Ratchet grunted. "Bumblebee wasn't kidding when he said you were completely silent. At least I don't have to deal with even more unnecessary racket." Tyra stood up, and gestured to the door. "Yeah, you can leave." Tyra smiled a thank-you and jumped down, retrieving her helmet and coat on the way out and slipping them on as she walked out.

"There you are," Optimus said as he spotted her walking down the hall of the base. "I take it the tests went well?" Tyra nodded. "Good. Now aside from the Allpark fragment, is there anything else we should know? Any surprises?"

_Um, Prowl?_

_ I have an idea. Pull the visor out of your helmet with the metal hand. _Tyra nodded, and carefully removed her visor.

Energy collected in her palm, and the glass glowed for a moment before changing shape until it resumed the shape she'd found it in. Optimus Prime's optics widened in recognition.

"Well," he said after a moment, "That was certainly unexpected."


	16. Chapter 14: Are You Happy Now

Chapter 14: Are You Happy Now? (Because I'm Exhausted)

Optimus Prime carefully set the visor down in front of Ratchet, who activated one of his many scanners and ran it over the piece of glass. Tyra rocked on her heels behind them, glancing at the ceiling now and then in anticipation of the results.

"ENERGY SIGNATURE IDENTIFIED: AUTOBOT PROWL," The computer said after several tense seconds, and Tyra released the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "STATUS: ONLINE." The screen shifted as Ratchet set the visor onto a panel that lit up, and the head and shoulders of a figure appeared on the screen.

"What are you doing?" The black and gold mech asked as he became more visible. "Ratchet?"

"I don't believe it," Ratchet said, shaking his head as Optimus stared in disbelief. "It really is Prowl."

"Wait a moment," Optimus said. "How do we know for sure that this isn't a very convincing program?" He glanced suspiciously at Tyra, who shrugged. _Why would I try to trick you with something like this?_

"How would she even know who Prowl is? Nobody talks about him," Ratchet responded, glancing at Prime.

"I'm right here," Prowl commented.

"Besides, the computer confirmed that the visor gave off his energy signature, and humans haven't figured out that technology yet, much less how to hack it."

_Hey! I'm right here!_

"They can't hear you, Tyra," Prowl said, and the two Autobots looked at him.

"She didn't say anything, Prowl," Optimus said.

"Not anything you could hear. We've been communicating telepathically ever since she found me over two weeks ago." They looked at Tyra, who smiled sheepishly. _Hey, how did you expect I was supposed to tell you this? Do I need to remind y'all about my little vow of silence again? _

"Two weeks? How long have you been online again?" Optimus asked.

"I was never offline. I was trapped in a dormant state on the roof ever since the battle."

_Prowl, I just thought of something. If your visor is here, where's your… y'know, your body?_

"I suppose my body is on Cybertron, if it hasn't been melted down to create protoforms," Prowl responded. "…And until we find out which one…"

"You're stuck in the computer," Ratchet said. "That's just great."


	17. Chapter 15: Coming Out of The Dark

Chapter 15: Coming Out of the Dark (And Promptly Retreating 'Cuz it's Too Early for This)

Tyra was shaken awake by the _THUD, THUD, THUD_ of Bulkhead walking by the entrance to her (formerly Sari's) makeshift room, which she had refurnished using her own belongings. The only thing of Sari's that remained was the tire bed, which Tyra promptly rolled out of.

_Sound-cancelling earphones. When I write my Christmas list to Grandma Sensei, that is the FIRT thing on it – sound-cancelling earphones. _Tyra pulled herself up, dusting her knees off before walking over to her closet and getting dressed – blue tank top, brown capris, black rubber boots and the ever-present gloves. She took one last look at her room before walking into the hallway.

Even from here, she could hear Bumblebee yelling at the TV screen, along with Ratchet yelling at Bumblebee, and Jazz trying to get Ratchet to stop yelling at Bumblebee for yelling at the TV. She shook her head. _I thought I'd gotten away from this when my sisters moved out. _She walked into the room, and was unnoticed as she made a beeline for her scooter. However, she was stopped when Sari flew up behind her.

"Not so fast, Tyra! I need one more player for my race with Bumblebee!" Sari dragged Tyra away from her escape, and towards the large TV. Prowl, who was still on the computer, shook his head.

_I don't even like video games! _Tyra wanted to protest, but held her tongue – not yet. _I'm getting there… but I can't talk yet. I need more time to heal…_

Tyra looked around at the Autobots, Sari, the base… she smiled to herself.

_…But I'm getting there._

* * *

Okay guys, thank you so much for reading, but I think I'm gonna take a bit of a break until I have more of a storyline prepared for Sweet Misery. Thank you so much for following Tyra through her adventure, and here's to hoping I can write more about this soon!


	18. Chapter 16: Goodbyes

Chapter 16: Goodbyes (Prowl Need to Work on Them)

_Wait. Stop. Stop RIGHT there. You want to WHAT?_

"I just told you, Tyra. I want to return my visor to my body in order to deactivate it." Prowl looked at Tyra's expression, and was suddenly grateful he was inside the computer screen – she looked as though she was going to wring his neck.

_Are you out of your processor? That's suicide!_

"And living like this is any better? I have spent the past two weeks inside the base with nothing to do but meditate and yell at Bumblebee. Thi is not how anyone is meant to exist."

_So you'd rather die?_

"I don't know if I will die, or if my park will reanimate my body. What I do know is that my body is still intact, on Cybertron, and my mind is trapped in here."

_Does Prime know about this?_

"I spoke to him this morning. Optimus Prime is discussing thing with Ultra Magnus as we speak, although considering that he has to use a voice synthesizer and is still in recovery from an assassination attempt last year, negotiations are taking longer than we had hoped. Although I am relieved that he survived at all."

_So this is it, then. You've consigned yourself to the afterlife._

"I told you I don't know what's going to happen to me, and it will take a couple of months of preparation… but I suppose that you are right. However, there is one thing we need to attend to."

_And that would be…?_

"Explaining this to the others, as well as determining who will be the one to transport my visor to Cybertron."

_I'll do it._

"What?"

_You heard me. I'm the one who brought you back, so I'll be the one to get you back to your body. It's as simple as that._

"I suppose that will work. In the meantime…"

_What?_

"I do want to see the city one last time." Tyra gave a sad smile, and removed the visor from the computer, putting it on her face.

_That I can do._

Tyra and Prowl went in silence as she drove around the city, stopping to look at everything and sometimes parking her scooter and walking several blocks, people-watching, before returning to the scooter and driving to another part of Detroit. The sun was setting behind them as Tyra biked up the mountain, before parking near the trees and stepping into the wilderness. She walked until she reached the peak where she'd been only a few months before, and sat down at the edge to look at the mountains.

Neither one said anything, instead focusing on the world around them, its beauty, its serenity, its life. The word both meant to say hung in the wind, and seemed to tint the sunset with a melancholy blue.

_Goodbye._


	19. Chapter 17: Teardrops on My Guitar

Chapter 17: Teardrops on My Guitar (That No One Else Can See)

It was a week after Tyra drove around Detroit with Prowl that she started playing guitar again. She would sit on her tire-bed and strum the strings for hours, gazing at the instrument with downcast eyes as she did. She would not acknowledge anyone who tried to talk to her when she was playing, or even look up – she'd just keep strumming that guitar, playing certain notes over and over until they blended into a single, continuous sound.

"Tyra," Sari said, sitting down next to her, "please, come outside. You've been like this all week."

Tyra continued playing the song she had been working on – it sounded familiar, but for the life of her Sari could not remember its name. It was a calm, rather sweet song, but sweet in a sad way, almost the way smiling through tear would sound if it were music. Outside the room, the others continued on with what they were doing in uncomfortable silence.

"There's a chance he might come back! Prowl could come back, good as new! Then you won't have to have him sitting in front of your eyes all day!" She tried, and Tyra glanced up at her, eyes concealed by the bangs hanging in front of her face. "And if he doesn't, we thought he was dead for a year, so… so…"

Sari fell silent when she realized she didn't know how to finish that. Tyra had stopped playing after finishing the song for the thirtieth time that week, and set the guitar to the side before looking Sari in the eye.

Sari had never seen heartbreak in a person's eyes before, but there it was. Tears were desperately refraining from spilling down the sides of her face, and she had to bite her lip and look away from Sari, wiping the side of her face with a small sniff.

"…I'm gonna miss him too." Tyra didn't respond for a moment, and Sari started to stand up when she was suddenly hugged. There was no sobbing, no tears, just Tyra's arms around her shoulders. Sari looked at Tyra – the woman she viewed as her big sister – and hugged her back. After a moment, Tyra let go, and followed Sari out of the room to where the others were waiting.

Her guitar sat on the bed, waiting.


	20. Chapter 18: A Goodbye

Chapter 18: Sweet Misery

_I was lost…_

Tyra stepped onto the Autobot ship with Prowl's visor in her hands. Jazz walked behind her as she entered the main cabin, occupied by three robots – two that looked very similar in spite of a difference in color scheme, and the captain of the ship, an angry-looking fellow with a particularly large chin.

_And you were found…_

Tyra turned to face the exit, and smiled as her teammates waved goodbye. The door slid shut, and she walked over to where Jazz was as the twins prepared for takeoff.

_You seemed to stand on…_

Tyra chose a spot with a window to gaze out of for the majority of the trip through the skies, the starlight lighting up small streaks on her face, which bore a calm, thoughtful expression.

_Solid ground…_

Jazz chased the twins away when they tried to talk to her, and the captain ignored her completely. Tyra didn't seem to notice.

_I was weak…_

As the ship slowed to navigate around an ion storm, Tyra turned her attention to a small planet some light years away, an almost unnoticeable speck among the other rocks in the darkness.

_And you were strong…_

Tyra didn't look up as she felt the ship come to another stop, and the captain's yelling at somebody was far away to her ears.

_And me and my guitar, we strummed along…_

The ship landed on Cybertron after several hours, and Tyra only looked up when Jazz lightly tapped her shoulder and pointed towards the door, where the others had already gotten off.

_I was blind…_

Tyra ignored the stares of the many bots she passed as he followed Jazz through the streets of their home planet, all the way to a large, official-looking building.

_But oh, how you could see…_

As she entered, Prowl's visor suddenly felt incredibly fragile in her hands, as if the slightest shake could shatter it. That would explain why her grip on it tightened as she walked.

_You saw the beauty in everything, and everything in me_

A skinny-looking robot approached them, and began explaining to Jazz and Tyra in a monotone what was going to happen to Prowl – she would restore his visor to his body, and the scientists on Cybertron would monitor him for a week in order to determine whether or not his spark would reattach to his body.

_I would cry…_

Tyra continued to follow the robot into a remarkably large lab, where an Autobot of black and gray lay stretched out on a table.

_And you would smile…_

Tyra was lifted up onto the table by Jazz, and she cautiously approached the face of the offline Autobot. The facial features were set in a calm smile, but something seemed… missing. She could see where his offline optics were, but without the visor, they were incomplete.

_Stay with me…_

Jazz and the scientist left the room after Tyra set the visor on his faceplates and watched the blue light fade away.

_A little while…_

Tyra fought back tears as she watched the last trace of light fade, before sitting down next to Prowl and gently touching his cold cheek with her bare, metal hand.

_Sweet Misery…_

"Goodbye, Prowl."


	21. Chapter 19: Leave the Pieces

Chapter 19: Leave the Pieces (You'll Just Break Them More)

"How does saying nothing at all become so loud? When does the silence settle in? Nothing's wrong but nothing's right, we hold our breath and close our eyes, let's get out on that ice that's wearing thin…" The soft sound of melancholy guitar filled the halls of the Autobot base undisturbed, as Tyra was alone with her radio. The others had left to help repair a building that had been damaged when Wreck-Gar misinterpreted a request for gum. She wasn't entirely sure how that had worked, but there ya go. As the music continued to waft in the lonely air, Tyra closed her eyes.

_How's it going, Prowl? It's been three days._

"How do we get so numb, it don't even hurt?"

_Ain't heard a word from Cybertron yet… have ya met my grampa? I doubt it, but if you do… if you can hear me… tell him I miss him. Grandma Sensei misses him too. Tell him that._

"Yeah, why are we so comfortably still?"

_Is it nice up there? I'll bet it's nice. Are there any trees? Can't have a heaven without trees – if you're there, of course. If you aren't, wake up soon so ya don't get melted._

"Here we are pretending that we're doin' fine,"

_This week is taking forever, but at least we haven't got any trouble from that Blitzwing fellow._

"Just scratching at the surface,"

_Sari got a new scooter-jetpack yesterday. It's real nice._

"Just getting by,"

_I've been doin' well. I meditate quite a bit more. That mountain peak's my new favorite spot, thanks to you. Hope you don't mind. And yes, I've been talking a bit again – I gotta tell ya, my voicebox hurt like you wouldn't believe after I said goodbye. But it was worth it…_

"Don't you think it's time that we feel something real?"

_I miss you._

"I want tears, I want rain, if that's what leads me back to you… Even if that means feeling the pain, if that's what we gotta do, don't let it fall apart! C'mon and break my heart! Yeah break it right in two!"

"Tyra, the doctor told you not to talk too much, too soon, or you're damage your vocal cords." Tyra jumped and spun around, hand flying to the radio to turn off the "I Want Tears" instrumental CD she'd had playing. Sari shook her head. "I came back to get Ratchet's other EMP generator, you seen it?"

"Don't reckon I have, hon," Tyra said after a moment. "But it'd probably be in'is room, right?" Sari smiled – she'd missed hearing that warm southern accent.

"Yeah, you're right." Sari started to walk away from the door, but stopped. "Are you okay?"

Tyra gave a broken smile. "Don't you worry about me, hon, I'll be fine. Now go help those goofballs before Wreck-Gar shows up over there again." Sari took off, and Tyra heard her fly away after a few minutes.

"I don't wanna smile if that means losing you… I want tears…"


	22. Interlude 3: Wake Up

Interlude 3: Wake Up (Again)

_What the- where am I? This can't be the well of Allsparks… no, I can't see anything. Everything is dark. I have to focus…_

_ My arm… I can feel my left servo. And there's my right one… yes, I can feel both arms and chassis… I can't move. Where are my legs? Can I… yes, I can move my left servo slightly. Ah, there's my lower torso… yes, it's coming back to me. I can feel my body… I'm online. I am weak, but I am online. Now if I could just move…_

His servo twitched.

Perceptor looked up from his data pad. The body had moved. For almost a week, there had been no response, but he had heard it. The left servo had twitched, even though the body of the mech was still gray and lacked a spark. He stared at Prowl for a moment, waiting.

Another movement, this time in the leg, a slight attempt to bend the knee. There was the sound of internal mechanisms activating, the internal workings slowly beginning to wake up after a stellar cycle of rest. For a moment, it stopped short, and Perceptor was about to look away again when they picked up again.

_I need to concentrate…_

Slowly, the gray turned black, and gold began to fade _in, _as if layers of dull paint were being rubbed away. The left servo clenched and unclenched, much like a human heartbeat, as the body began to shift slightly left and right, a frustrated grimace forming on still-dull faceplates.

_Close… so close… it's still dark…_

As suddenly as it began, body now black and gold and looking brand-new, Prowl stopped moving, and Perceptor approached, adjusting his optical guards. Had something gone wrong? The Autobot looked to be online…

_Just a bit more… and…_

The motorcycle engine roared to life, and Prowl's optics came online, glowing blue in the dull medical room.


	23. Chapter 20: Bad Day

Chapter 20: Bad Day (Would be One Way of Putting It)

"Remind me why I agreed to that, hon?" Tyra said into her earpiece as she came to a stop at a red light. "I haven't seen a date go that badly since I was seventeen and the neighbor's angry hog got loose in the pancake house."

"I'm sorry! Dad said he was a nice guy!" Sari responded, pacing in circles around the Sumdac System lobby.

"Sari, in dating lingo, "nice" _always_ means "boring". I nearly drowned tonight from falling asleep in my soup, the way he went on about his bottle cap collection! Who collects bottle caps anymore?" She started driving again. "What company _makes _bottle caps anymore?"

"I don't know… Drapple?"

"Right, I forgot, nobody ever stopped reading Drapple Drabbles…" Tyra glanced up. "Sari, Im'ma have to call you back. Could you be a sweetie and tell Optimus that Blitzwing's back?"

"What?"

"About to reach the speed limit, bye!" Tyra swerved around the corner, and headed directly for Old Detroit. _Gotta get away from civilians, _she thought as her scooter barely dodged an ice blast.

"Why are jou running, human? Ve can be civil about zis," the Icy voice called from the sky as he dived towards her. Tyra came to a stop when she reached the remains of the old city – thank goodness nobody ever came here– and jumped off of her bike as another blast hit it, freezing the vehicle solid.

"That was a gift!" Tyra yelled when she looked at her wheels. Blitzwing transformed into robot mode, and the icy face smirked at her.

"So jou _can _talk, zhen," he said, monocle-optic glinting. "And vith a nice voice, too." He swapped to Hothead. "I vill look forvard to hearing jour puny screams for mercy just before I crush you!"

Tyra immediately pulled out her staff, twirling it over her head as it extended, white metal shining. "We'll just see about- ah!" A laser blast promptly shot the staff out of her hand, and she turned to look at the weapon, now lying on the ground in two pieces – two _melted _pieces. She glared at Blitzwing. "That was low, even for you!"

"I'm not letting jou pull zhat trick again!" Tyra stared at him for a moment, mentally assessing her options, before the obvious one hit her: RUN. She turned around and dashed, dodging another blow.

Tyra ducked into an old building as Blitzwing went into tank mode, making a beeline for the stairs and running up, eyes darting around for an impromptu weapon. _C'mon, give me something… _her gaze stopped on a large dumbbell lying in the corner. _Perfect! _She dashed over, barely dodging the metal hand that reached in through the window, and grabbed the weighted pole, using her mechanical hand to tear off the metal disks on both ends. She twirled the new staff in her hand. _Not professional, but you'll do. _

Tyra ducked as a laser blast tore a hole in the wall, and ran to the open window. She jumped through, and with her free hand grabbed onto the side-stairs of the next building and jumped over the rail, quickly jumping into another window and running up the stairs. _If I can get high enough, _she thought, _he won't be able to see me…_

_ Aaaand maybe I went too far up. _Tyra came to a screeching halt when she realized she was on the roof – and Blitzwing had already flown up. He stood across the roof from her, arms crossed and blue faceplates smirking.

"Let's finish zhis, shall ve?" Blitzwing blasted at her again, and she came face to face with a tower of ice.

Tyra looked out from behind the icicle. "Now that's just bad luck," she said, retreating behind it when he shot at her again. _Optimus, guys, where ARE you?_


	24. Interlude 4: Bring Me to Life

Interlude 4: Bring Me to Life (Bring, Brought, Same Difference)

"Why isn't Tyra answering?" Bumblebee muttered as Optimus turned a corner, siren blaring with the Autobots – and Auto-Teen – in tow. "I've tried contacting her three times already!"

"She's probably busy… oh, I don't know… fighting for her life!" Sari retorted, jetting ahead of the yellow vehicle. "Prime, should I fly ahead and let you know what the status is?"

"No, Sari. If Blitzwing knows you're there, he'll know we're coming. What we're hoping for is that he's taking his time before he tries to actually kill Tyra." Optimus got onto the highway. "We need to stick together and use the element of surprise."

"Uh, Bossbot?" Bulkhead asked, slowing behind Bumblebee. "I don't think that siren's helping with the element of surprise."

"I need to get us through the traffic as quickly as- hang on," Optimus muttered, "I'm getting a signal. Hello?"

"Optimus Prime, this is Ultra Magnus," the stern voice began, "I have important information for you."

"All due respect, Ultra Magnus," Optimus said, "I'm a bit busy trying to get to where there's an emergency…"

"It is regarding your teammate, Optimus Prime," Ultra Magnus began again, "The one who sacrificed his spark for all of Cybertron and Earth."

"Commander, I understand, but another one of my teammates is in serious danger." Optimus and the others sped down an empty road. "If we don't hurry, Tyra could be dead and Blitzwing could have the Allspark fragment by the time we get there."

"I'm on my way." Optimus Prime, along with all of the other Autobots, came to a screeching halt when the voice came on in all of their comlinks.

"Prowl?"


	25. Chapter 21: Wish You Were Here

Chapter 21: Wish You Were Here (HELP!)

Pole-vaulting from rooftop to rooftop was _not _Tyra's first idea on how to defeat a giant robot, but finding higher ground and jumping down was quickly proving to not be the most viable plan.

_How in the world di I forget he can FLY? _Tyra leapt into a window, managing to generate a small shield around herself as she went crashing through the glass. She scrambled up, and looked at her arm. "What, you can make shields but you can't _attack _worth crap?" Tyra dashed away from the window as the metal hand reached in, and took shelter in the elevator. "Going up," she muttered, hitting the button to the roof.

"Come out, come out, vherever jou are!" Random cackled, peaking into the windows. "Ah-ha-ha-ha! I love hide-und-seek!"

_C'mon, c'mon, roof, get to the roof… _Ding! _Yes! _Tyra dashed out of the elevator, and carefully approached the edge.

"Hello zhere."

_Dang it! _Tyra dashed from the edge of the roof as the Decepticon climbed up, barely evading Blitzwing's grasp. He reached out to grab her again…

CLANG!

Blitzwing pulled his hand back, and glared at the large gash made into the metal by what looked to Tyra like a very large ninja-star. (What were those called again?) Tyra turned in the direction the weapon had come from – nobody was there.

"Vhat ze - " CLANG!" Blitzwing was knocked forward a few steps when another one of the weapons hit the back of his head, and Tyra quickly got out of the confused robot's path before turning to see the figure who had thrown the star. Again, nobody.

"Tyra, look out!" Tyra jumped out of the way of a laser blast, and Blitzwing glanced over his shoulder and spotted the Autobots, who were driving towards the building.

"Thanks, Bumblebee!" Tyra dashed away from Blitzwing, but stopped short at the edge of the roof.

"Enough games!" Blitzwing glared. "If I can't get zhat Allspark Fragment from jou alive, zhen I'll finish jou first!" He shot at the ground, and sent Tyra flying over the roof.


	26. Chapter 22: Home

Chapter 22: Home (For Better or for Worse)

_Falling. _Tyra had been frozen, zapped at, attacked – she had been in a _motorcycle crash _that had claimed her arm – and she was about to meet death by _falling. _The world around her seemed to come to a stop, and for a fleeting moment, she was flying. It would only be seconds before the ground knocked the wind out of her lungs and the world grew dark, but for that one instant, she was flying.

"Tyra!" She could hear the other Autobots, and in the corner of her eye she saw them running towards her. But she knew it didn't matter – even Sari in her jetpack wouldn't be fast enough to catch her. All she could hope for now was that they'd get the Allspark fragment away from Blitzwing, and let herself fall… up?

Tyra's eyes snapped open when she realized that she was, in fact, moving upwards, and she found herself above the roof of the building, and she felt a metal arm wrapped around her. As the mech landed, Blitzwing stared in him, and Tyra watched shock form on his blue faceplates.

"Zhat… zhat's impossible…jou vent offline..." Tyra looked up at the mech, who allowed a small smile to appear on his calm faceplates.

"Not as offline as you think." Tyra stared at him in disbelief.

"No way…"

Blitzwing didn't have time to recover from the surprise, and Optimus Prime grabbed his wrist with the built-in grappling hook. Blitzwing tried to pull himself free, red faceplates glaring at Bumblebee. The mech set Tyra down on the roof, and glanced at the makeshift staff in her hand.

"I think you know what to do," he said, glancing up at Blitzwing's shoulder. Tyra stared at him. "I'll keep him distracted. Go!" She dashed towards him as the Cyber-ninja resumed attacking Blitzwing, along with the rest of the team. She once again used the staff as a pole vault, and charged it up as she scaled his arm.

"I'm not falling for zhat again!" Blitzwing swatted at her with his free hand, causing Tyra to stumble back, off of his shoulder. It was in the split second before she fell that Tyra gripped the charged pole, and drove it into Blitzwing's back. "AGH!" He recoiled as electricity shot through his body, and Tyra went flying off the side of the roof.

_Not again! _Tyra grabbed onto the fire escape rail, and stopped short in her descent, before the rusty bar broke loose and she started falling again. She stopped short before hitting the ground, and she looked at Ratchet, who smiled as he deactivated his magnetic generator, letting her land on the ground.

"Thanks, Ratchet," she said, before looking up and seeing Blitzwing fly off. An instant later, the black-and-gold mech on the rooftop jumped down, and smiled.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," he said as the Autobots stared. It was Sari who snapped out of it first, and flew towards the mech, hugging his chassis.

"Prowl! You're online! We thought we'd never see you again!"


	27. Interlude 5: First Night Back

_Whoof, it's been a while since I updated this one. Writer's block is evil. Anyway, until I figure out how to get the plot rolling again (because there is more plot besides the obvious fluff) expect a few filler chapters, including my second favorite TFA pairing (and no, SJ, you don't know what it is). Anyway, thanks for reading and enjoy!_

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Interlude 5: The First Night Back

It was… strange, to be in his body again, in the base he had called home for what was a surprisingly short amount of time, but felt like forever. Prowl was in his room again for the first time in a stellar cycle, and he felt at peace, but at the same time restless, like a stranger. He felt out of place in his own home, despite the warm welcome from the Autobots (Sari had actually started crying from happiness) and the fact that he was in familiar surroundings.

The tree had grown a bit since he'd been gone. Fallen blossoms dotted the floor like lily pads on a cool lake, and his sensors detected a crisp breeze in the late spring air. As he sat up from another failed attempt at recharging, Prowl sensed the faint music of crickets and birds in the air, and pressed a button on his visor. Digital numbers appeared on the blue surface behind his optics, and Prowl groaned. It was past 2 in the morning, and he still couldn't rest.

Prowl jumped down from the branch he had been resting on, and looked around his room again. In the moonlight, everything was dark, but calm and soothing. He looked at the tree again, silently watching the branches sway in the wind, loose flowers drifting down before landing around his stabilizing servos and the truck of the tree. Another moment passed before Prowl turned, and walked out of the room.

Aside from the faint buzz of other machines and the sound effects from Bumblebee's videogame, the base was uncomfortably silent. It surprised him – he was so used to the noise and voices of the other teammates or the whir of drivers outside that the lack of it, even after a stellar cycle of silence, was off-putting and foreign to his sensors. Prowl walked down the hall, uncertain of where he was going, but unable to hold still. His gaze flickered around the halls, looking for something – anything! – to distract his mind as restlessness forced him forward.

Prowl stopped when he reached the main room, and stood for a moment in the darkness. Nothing seemed out of place, and the only thing his olfactory sensors detected was the mild odor of an opened oil can. Prowl sighed, and allowed whatever part of his mind that was keeping him up to guide him out the front door.

Detroit was unnaturally quiet tonight, the only sounds being those of birds and crickets. The front of the base had, while he was gone, sprouted into a sort of lawn, with light green blades of grass sticking up in large splotches across the dirt. Prowl found a particularly large deformed circle, and sat down, turning his attention to the sky, which was clear and speckled with starlight.

"Mind if I join you?" Prowl glanced over his shoulder as the smaller figure approached from behind, her nightgown fluttering around her like a curtain in the breeze. "I can't sleep, either."

Prowl nodded, and Tyra sat down next to him, pulling her knees up to her chest and gazing up. Prowl looked at her – hair loose and cascading down her shoulder and back before pooling on the ground – before returning his attention to the sky. The nighttime breeze whispered as the stars shimmered, and after a moment, Prowl felt the restlessness wash away with the wind. He knew exactly where he was.

He was home.


	28. Chapter 23: Reflection

Chapter 23: Reflection (End Part One of Sweet Misery)

Spring in Detroit was much nicer that Tyra had expected it would be. The air was nice, and the trees had flowers freckling the green on their branches. She smiled to herself as she drove past the park, her braid whipping around behind her. Kids were playing with their friends and pets, flying kites and throwing Frisbees as a soft breeze carried the flying toys aloft.

The girl returned her attention to the road, and turned the corner, allowing the sound of the two tires below her to drive everything else from her mind – a constant _whirring _that was both fast and calm – calm in its consistency, in its lack of change. It was loud sound, but it was predictable and routine, which was a needed change from the surprise and twists and turns of the past few weeks.

As Tyra veered off of the main road and onto the route to the forest, she allowed everything that had happened to replay in her mind – pictures in a slideshow that made her realize just how much could be different.

And so much was different – Tyra had made new friends with some of the most interesting 'Bots she'd ever met, Sari was a teenager, a hero had been brought back from what could have been eternal limbo…

And, for the first time in almost three years, Tyra felt complete. She felt happy and healed and excited about the future, and, while a small scar would always remain where she'd been hurt, and she'd never have her original arm back, it didn't matter, because the future looked too exciting to waste.

Tyra came to a stop at the edge of the forest, and steeped off of the black and gold motorcycle. Prowl went into robot mode, and the two walked in with only a nod exchanged.

Tyra stopped at the edge of the cliff and sat down. Prowl sat next to her, and the two watched the horizon as the sun began to slowly inch toward it from the top of the sky, ready for the future.

END PART 1

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_Oh my gosh you guys, part 1 is finished! Okay, I know I promised oneshot chapters, and they will be here while I figure out where to kick off part 2 from, story-wise. Mostly I will introduce two new (IMPORTANT) characters - yes, they are both OCs, but even SJ believes one of them is made of win. Also, Trowl. That is the name for Tyra/Prowl, which I WILL write in the next part and in the one-shots. That is the name and I'm sticking to it. Thank you so much for reading about Tyra and her adventures - have a great summer! Now I'm off to write more!_

_EDIT: Okay, apparently "Made of win" is cheesy. The proper term is "Awesome"._


	29. Into the Shade

_...I have no excuse for this besiders writer's block, but at some onhealthy hour and way too long a hiatus, Sweet Misery is back, baby! I can't make any promises on how often I'll update, but here you go! Also, expect this to be a bitt more episodic with mini-arcs, I did not plan Tyra's story as much as I did Iris's. Enjoy anyway!_

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Into the Shade

Detroit was stubbornly asleep as the thief leapt from one rooftop to another, loot over his shoulder, with not a siren or cop to be heard. The heist had been almost too easy, and the man in black sweat was almost home, Scott-free. It was all perfect.

It was all too perfect to last.

He spotted the woman's silhouette within two blocks of his house, gazing from the high rooftop at the street below. She started when he stepped forward, and turned to face him, lifting the motorcycle helmet from her head and letting the long braid tumble to her ankles. The helmet made a clanking sound as it hit the pavement, and her body turned to align with her head, heels of her boots surprisingly quiet on the pavement. He couldn't see her eye color, but he could see the glint in them as she pulled out a small cylinder and pressed a button, making it extend, metal gleaming white in the moonlight.

"Detroit's tryin' a little something new," she murmured as she stepped forward and the thief fumbled for his gun, "hopin' to keep it quiet at night."

"Less-detectable law enforcement," a male voice joined her as a much larger figure landed from behind the thief, chassis black and gold, "who don't make as much noise and are harder to evade."

"I'd say it's workin'," the woman said, and her smile revealed pretty white teeth to match her lively eyes. "Crime rate's goin' down fast. Now," she brandished the staff, "are you gonna make this difficult for yourself, or not?"

Like everything else that night, the decision was too easy. The gun was in his hand, and he aimed, but the Autobot was there and knocked it from his hand. The woman dashed toward him when the man jumped away, and the staff was in front of him, blocking his path and threatening to hit him in the face. The Autobot's hand quickly connected with it for a makeshift cage, and the thief panicked, choosing to tackle the girl and maybe distract her partner. The side of the metal staff slammed into his stomach as he lunged, and he was sent slightly backwards from the impact, hitting his back with a quiet _thud. _He was lifted by the robot as the girl picked up his bag.

"Another one down," the robot said, looking at the woman. "That was quick thinking."

"Thank ya, Prowl," she responded, "but don't get excited yet. We still need to bring him to Fanzone."

The thief growled as he was taken down from the roof. It had all been too easy.


End file.
